Betta Edu: Former Minister of State Lands Juicy New Appointment

• The APC appointed former minister Betta Edu as Director of Women Mobilisation in Tinubu's 2027 Presidential Campaign Council
• APC campaign spokesperson Kemi Asekun-Shittu defended the decision on Channels Television, citing Edu's presumption of innocence
• The EFCC has been investigating Edu since her suspension from cabinet in January 2024 over allegations of financial impropriety

Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu has landed a new role in President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election machinery, despite an ongoing Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigation into her conduct while in office.

Edu was named Director of Women Mobilisation in the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election.

The appointment, according to an August 31, 2026 report from Legit.ng, has attracted criticism given that Tinubu himself suspended her from the Federal Executive Council in January 2024 following allegations of financial impropriety, which subsequently prompted an EFCC inquiry.

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APC cites presumption of innocence

APC campaign committee spokesperson Kemi Asekun-Shittu stepped forward to defend the decision during an appearance on Channels Television's Morning Brief on Monday.

She argued that excluding Edu from political activity while the anti-graft investigation remains unresolved would be fundamentally unjust.

"I'd like to say that for Betta Edu, for example, she has not been found guilty. And it will be unfair to ask that she leave her life or refuse to live her life until the EFCC declares her. We believe that there is a very likely issue that she may not be found guilty," Asekun-Shittu said.

She went further, noting that the matter had already dragged on for close to two years.

"It's been almost two years of that case. She does deserve an opportunity to present herself again for the party," she added.

When questioned on the specific nature of the allegations, which centre on the mishandling of public funds during Edu's time as a minister, Asekun-Shittu maintained that the campaign appointment was strictly an internal party affair.

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"She has not been proclaimed guilty and deserves an opportunity to continue to live her life. That is what we are saying," she said.

Campaign list not yet final, APC says

The controversy surrounding Edu's inclusion is not the only point of contention.

The broader composition of the campaign council has drawn scrutiny, with serving government officials among those named on the list.

These include Nigeria Revenue Service Executive Chairman Zacch Adedeji, Budget Office Director-General Taminu Yakubu, and National Identity Management Commission Director-General Bisoye Coker-Odusote.

Asekun-Shittu was careful to note that the list has not been finalised and remains subject to change.

"The list is not yet final. There is a lot of deliberation still going on. If it is found out that they are not allowed to play in that turf, I believe that the needful will be done," she said.

Tinubu appoints Ibrahim Masari to senior role

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that President Bola Tinubu handed Ibrahim Masari a prominent position within the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign structure as Nigeria's ruling party formally gears up for the 2027 elections.

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According to an August 31, 2026 report by Legit.ng, Masari has been named Deputy Director General for Logistics and Operations within the APC's 223-member Presidential Campaign Council.

The appointment signals that preparations for the January 2027 electoral contest are already well advanced.

Source: YEN.com.gh